On counselling, neurodivergence and writing the book she wishes she’d had….

 

I feel a huge sense of privilege being let into people’s lives in this way, when people trust me with their feelings.

 

Q: What made you decide to become a counsellor?

I’d always found myself in helping roles before training to be a counsellor – from working with the police, to helping new mothers in hospital settings. Underneath these roles I think there was a common thread, a desire to help and along with it a blossoming drive for social justice. My time spent working with homeless families as a support worker stands out in particular. While the practical side of the role mattered, what I found most meaningful was sitting with people, really listening, and being trusted with their stories, even when those stories were painful. I feel a huge sense of privilege being let into people’s lives in this way, when people trust me with their feelings. That’s what ultimately led me to counselling.

 

Q: How would you describe your therapeutic approach?

This is always a difficult one to answer! I’m trained integratively, which means I draw from a variety of different approaches to tailor my therapy sessions for the client in front of me. I love working this way and it allows me to be intuitive, being responsive to times when therapy needs to change direction whilst ensuring that the client is at the centre of the work. When something isn’t working, we can change it in real time.

I love working creatively whether this is with the sandtray in my therapy room or using metaphors and analogies to help me and the client better understand a situation.

…the neurodivergent affirming approach is now what underpins all my work. And it’s what I feel most passionate about…

I think working in this way, adapting to the client and meeting them where they are, is so helpful for neurodivergent clients in particular. When clients may have tried different types of therapies before, it can be very useful to collaborate and figure out what works and, just as importantly, what doesn’t.

And of course, the neurodivergent affirming approach is now what underpins all my work. And it’s what I feel most passionate about – ensuring our services at Newglade are neurodivergent affirming from start to finish.

 

Q: How did your personal experiences shape the way you practice today?

I think for any therapist, you have to bring your whole self with you to the therapy room. Despite the traditional idea of being a “blank state” as a therapist, I really don’t think we can leave ourselves at the door like that.

And, far from being a hindrance, this humanness is the very thing that helps our clients – the relational aspect of therapy is so important.

And, for me, the fact that I was diagnosed as autistic and ADHD in later life has been such a huge turning point that it was always going to shape the way I practice – I just never imagined just how much it would change my career.

When I had this paradigm shift, realising that I was actually neurodivergent all along, this transformed the way I saw myself and my work. Having attracted neurodivergent clients before and not really knowing why, now I could lean into this.

But that did need a change in the way I approached the therapy room – and this is where I found neurodivergent affirming therapy and everything seemed to align.

I feel my lived experience of autism and ADHD very much influences the way I practice, from the way I send out my paperwork (giving clarity, details, and certainty where I can) to the way I approach things in the therapy room. I might offer insight into how I’m processing something, or be more transparent in my thinking, rather than holding everything behind a professional “blank screen.”

This can be especially valuable because neurodivergent folks have often had a lifetime of being invalidated, trying to figure out what’s “wrong” with them, why they’re different. So my hope is that, by bringing in this lived experience and knowledge where appropriate, we can offer a different perspective from the deficit one. We can normalise difference in a way that can release shame.

It’s this lived experience that Newglade is built on – all our counsellors are neurodivergent themselves.

 

Q: What made you want to write your book?

My main goal when writing Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy: Rethinking Approaches for Autistic and ADHD Clients was for it to be the book I was searching for when I was a trainee.

As I started to uncover my own autism and ADHD, I was disappointed when all the literature I could find was based on the deficit model – the idea that autism and ADHD are disorders to be fixed. They were also often written by doctors or academics who seemed to reinforce a divide, rather than bridging it.

This didn’t resonate with my experience, nor my ethos as a budding counsellor. Instead of books, I turned to my own deep dive research and I pored over journal articles, blogs and social media accounts which centred lived experience. Here I found information, community and the Neurodiversity Paradigm – an alternative to the deficit model that resonated with me strongly.

But nonetheless what I had been searching for was a book to take me through what I needed to learn and implement as a new therapist. And I don’t think any therapist should have to dig around for that information, it should be available and accessible – so that was the book I ended up writing.

I wish there was more understanding of the internal experience of being neurodivergent.

Q: How is this book different from other books on autism and ADHD?

For too long, autistic and ADHD (and other neurodivergent) people have been left out of the conversations about their own experiences, needs, and support. This book intentionally centres lived experience, drawing on case studies and insights from autistic and ADHD clients, so the focus stays on the realities of being neurodivergent, rather than an external, observational perspective.

It’s also grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm, moving away from the traditional deficit-based lens that still dominates much of the existing literature. Instead of asking “what’s wrong?”, it invites a shift towards understanding difference, context, and environment.

I was also very conscious not to write just another textbook for professionals. While the book includes theory and reflection, it’s equally focused on practical application, with tools, prompts, and ideas that therapists can take straight into their work. My aim was to bridge that gap between knowing and doing, so readers don’t just understand neurodivergent affirming therapy, but feel more confident putting it into action. I also think there’s a lot of me in this book too, which has felt a really vulnerable step if I’m honest. I really hope readers can ‘hear’ my voice as they read.

 

Q: How have you made space for neurodivergent therapists within the book?

At the end of every chapter, there’s a dedicated section specifically for neurodivergent professionals. I wanted to make sure the book wasn’t just about working with neurodivergent clients, but also acknowledged what it’s like to be a neurodivergent therapist in this field.

Neurodivergent practitioners can face particular challenges, from navigating training environments that aren’t designed with them in mind, to managing energy, communication differences, or internalised expectations about what a therapist “should” be. These are conversations that I felt worth highlighting.

So these sections create space to reflect on those experiences, offering validation as well as practical considerations. My hope is that neurodivergent therapists feel seen within the book, not just positioned as the professional delivering the work, but as part of the community the book is speaking to..

Neurodivergent practitioners can face particular challenges, from navigating training environments that aren’t designed with them in mind, to managing energy, communication differences, or internalised expectations about what a therapist “should” be.

 

Q: What do you wish more people understood about neurodivergence?

I wish there was more understanding of the internal experience of being neurodivergent. Many of us have spent years trying to make sense of ourselves in a world that hasn’t quite reflected them back accurately. That can lead to a lot of self-doubt, shame, or feeling “wrong,” even when there’s nothing inherently wrong at all.

I also think the focus is too often on how neurodivergent people can adapt to fit into existing environments, rather than questioning whether those environments are actually accessible or supportive in the first place. In this framework then there’s a danger that “neurodivergent affirming” can become a bit of a tick-box exercise, where the underlying stance still carries a sense of othering, rather than something truly meaningful. The work is much deeper than that. 

When we only view neurodivergence through a deficit lens, we miss the wider context, including the impact of systemic stigma, misunderstanding, and, for many, trauma.

 

Q: What is the hardest part of your work?

I think many people can understand the emotional toll that being a counsellor might bring but the hardest part of my work isn’t actually the client side. I genuinely love that and get so much from it. Also, expanding my business, bringing in a team, training, writing – it all really suits my ADHD brain that thrives on variety and new ideas.

The hardest part is something many neurodivergent people will recognise: rejection sensitivity. The more visible I’ve become online, the more this shows up.

A few years ago I created Neuro Cards; a set of cards designed to explore neurodivergent traits in a non-pathologising way. I originally made them for my own clients, but they’ve since reached a much wider audience, from large companies using them to raise awareness, professionals from all types of therapies, to neurodivergent individuals using them for advocacy and conversations with family. I’m thrilled that I’ve now sold over 3500 packs! With that visibility, though, comes feedback.

I’ve had overwhelmingly positive responses, which I’m so grateful for, but the occasional critical review can still hit hard. Even when I can rationally hold that my products won’t resonate with everyone, there’s still an emotional impact. It’s something I’m constantly working on – trying to soothe the parts of me that historically have felt acute rejection.

So for me, the hardest part isn’t the work itself, it’s being seen while doing it, and learning how to hold both the positive and the challenging responses that come with that.

And of course writing a book wasn’t particularly easy either, but it feels quite special to finally be able to share it!